Teens Who Sued Hawai‘i Say Aviation Plan Fails to Decarbonize

(Hawaii, United States) Hawaii’s youth climate plaintiffs say the state’s new transportation plan does not go far enough on aviation, raising fresh questions about how the Hawaii Department of Transportation will meet a binding court settlement that requires zero greenhouse gas emissions across all travel modes by 2045. The plan, released in 2025 to meet a one-year deadline in the case known as Navahine v. Hawaii, outlines steps for ground, sea, and air. But several plaintiffs argue the aviation section lacks clear, concrete measures for an island state that depends on planes for work, school, health care, and family ties.

Their concerns come less than a year after the June 2024 settlement in Navahine v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, the first youth-led constitutional climate case to secure a legally enforceable commitment to decarbonize an entire state transportation system. The agreement arrived four days before trial and sets a state duty to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 for roads, harbors, and airports. It also requires interim targets in 2030, 2035, and 2040, and builds in continued court oversight.

The 13 plaintiffs, ages 9 to 18 when they filed in 2022, argued that current policies harm their constitutional right to “a clean and healthful environment.” Many are Native Hawaiian youth who already face climate harms. One plaintiff lost her home twice—first to hurricane flooding in 2018, then to the 2023 Lahaina wildfire. For these families, the case is not abstract. Rising heat, smoke, and flood risk affect daily life, and travel networks decide whether people can reach school, medical care, and jobs safely.

Settlement terms and oversight

Under the court-approved deal, the Hawaii Department of Transportation must deliver a full emissions reduction plan within one year, with clear mileposts for 2030, 2035, and 2040. It must also:

• Stand up a volunteer youth advisory council to guide measures that affect young residents.
• Finish core pedestrian and bicycle networks within five years to support safer, cleaner trips.
• Invest at least $40 million in electric vehicle charging by 2030, expanding access statewide, including in rural communities.

To keep the agreement enforceable, the Circuit Court kept jurisdiction until 2045, or until the state proves it has met the zero-emissions target. The deal calls for public comment opportunities and regular annual updates, giving families, businesses, and community groups a seat at the table as policies roll out.

“Burying our heads in the sand and making it the next generation’s problem is not pono,” Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said, directly addressing the intergenerational stakes.

Plaintiff Kaliko T., a Lahaina resident, urged more young people to join the process: “A great opportunity for more people to get involved in this process, especially young people who want to protect their future.”

Youth-led litigation watchers see the settlement as a first-of-its-kind model. By tying a constitutional duty to a timeline, the case shows how young residents can use the courts to push a state toward cleaner buses, ports, airports, and streets. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the case has already influenced similar youth actions elsewhere, as communities look for legal paths that can move policy from promises to binding plans.

Aviation plan faces pushback

As required, the state released its emissions plan in 2025, called the Hawaii Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan. That timeline matters, but plaintiffs, including Rylee Brooke Kamahele, say the aviation section falls short.

Their core point: Hawaii is an island chain, and air travel is essential. Without clear steps for cleaner planes and airports, the whole promise of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 could be at risk.

Plaintiffs’ concerns (summarized)

• Lack of dated milestones specifically for airport operations.
• Insufficient detail on transitioning ground support equipment to low- or zero-emissions options.
• No firm pathways for interisland and long‑haul flights to decarbonize.
• General absence of measurable checkpoints and transparency for aviation actions.

Aviation is widely seen as one of the hardest areas to decarbonize because current aircraft and fuels lock in emissions for years. That challenge does not release the state from its promise; instead, it raises the bar for how precise and transparent the plan must be.

Why aviation detail matters to everyday life

Air links shape:

• Food supply chains
• Medical evacuations and health access
• Cultural and family connections
• Work and educational travel

When flights are disrupted or fares rise, isolated communities suffer. Examples from daily life highlight the stakes:

1. A nurse flying from Hilo to Honolulu for weekend training needs a reliable schedule and fair prices.
2. A high school athlete traveling interisland for a tournament relies on predictable flights.
3. Medical evacuations and relief operations depend on well-functioning airports and coordinated air services.

These examples show why aviation targets must be clear, staged, and realistic.

How ground measures interact with aviation

The settlement also asks the state to improve non-car options. Completing pedestrian and bicycle networks within five years and boosting charging access by 2030 can:

• Reduce short car trips
• Lower interisland flight demand at the margins by enabling connections to ferries or buses where feasible

However, these ground improvements alone will not solve the aviation puzzle. Plaintiffs want ground progress matched by an aviation roadmap that is equally specific.

Public process, workforce support, and accountability

The public process built into the deal could help. Annual updates give the Hawaii Department of Transportation opportunities to:

• Publish progress on airport operations and ground vehicles
• Report on equipment transitions that can run on electricity or low-carbon fuels
• Explain support plans for workers and small businesses—airline staff, ground crews, maintenance shops—through training and new equipment investments

A clear plan for workforce support can reduce fear of sudden changes, while steady investment can help keep service reliable for families and small firms.

With the court’s continuing jurisdiction until 2045, the judge can monitor whether promises become real action. If the aviation section lacks detail now, future updates can add it, ensuring the state still meets the 2030, 2035, and 2040 interim steps. That is the design of the settlement: build a living plan the public can track, and keep it enforceable.

How residents can engage

For residents looking to follow official updates and meeting notices, the Hawaii Department of Transportation hosts information on transportation programs and public engagement at the following link:

• Hawaii Department of Transportation

Community groups, schools, and small businesses can use these channels to:

• Submit public comments
• Share local needs
• Ask for clearer aviation targets, especially for interisland service

Impact and outlook

The plaintiffs’ story has already moved policy and reframed who carries the burden of climate action. Youth voices turned distant climate risks into practical tasks with timelines. If the aviation plan gains the precision they seek—specific steps, measurable checkpoints, and annual proof of progress—Hawaii can keep faith with its court promise and with families who depend on safe, reliable travel.

The stakes are personal. Climate disasters destroyed homes, cut off roads, and strained air links for medical and relief flights. Young residents know that action delayed can cost lives and livelihoods. Their message to the state is direct: match ambition with detail, especially in the sky.

With the court watching, annual updates due, and communities ready to help, Hawaii now has the tools—and the deadline—to deliver the first full-scale, court-backed path to zero greenhouse gas emissions in a state transportation system.